The ANA definition of nursing is "the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems." The battering of women is a serious health problem, affecting at least 1.6 million women per year. Battering can result in serious injury, suicide and/or homicide. Theoretical formulations used to explain the responses of women to battering either have not yet been adequately tested or have not been supported by research. An initial study by the investigator of the responses to battering supported the psychology of control as a useful framework from which to examine the responses to battering. Support for the addition of the concepts of self-care agency and cultural values to a theoretical framework of responses was also found in that research. The purpose of this research program is to build on the initial study in order to: a) conduct a follow-up study of the first sample to identify and compare emotional, physical, and behavioral responses over time between battered women and an appropriate comparison group, women not battered but also having problems in an intimate relationship with a man, b) further assess reliability (test-retest) and internal consistency) and validity (predictive, based on police homicide records of actual and attempted homicide, subsequent, injury, and level of relationship violence) of a Danger Assessment for homicide, and c) construct a theoretical model of responses to battering based on the initial and follow-up studies and test that model with a new sample. It is predicted that approximately 2/3 of the original sample of 193 women will be retained for the follow-up study. A new sample of 200 battered women will be recruited for the theory testing phase of the research. Both the original and theory testing samples are recruited from at least two different communities by advertisement so that the sample is not limited to shelter residents and/or agency clients. Measures to ensure cultural diversity were and will be taken. The program of research incorporates a longitudinal design. A growth curve approach and factor analysis will be used for analysis of changes over time and comparison of the battered and not battered women in the follow-up and original study data. Path analysis will be employed for the theoretical model testing.